


Around the World in 80 Days

by onbrokenfeet



Category: Carmilla (Web Series)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Around the World in 80 Days AU, Eventual Smut, F/F, Friends to Lovers, Slow Burn, lots of banter
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-04
Updated: 2019-08-04
Packaged: 2020-07-31 10:03:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,360
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20113312
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/onbrokenfeet/pseuds/onbrokenfeet
Summary: Carmilla is known for two things; traveling to uncharted places in search of dangerous knowledge, and never arriving on time for anything. So when she's an hour late for dinner one particular evening, a bet is made. There is no way Doctor Carmilla Karnstein can make it around the world in 80 days. She won't be alone, Laura Hollis is going with her, to ensure there's no funny business along the way. Though, that may not be a good thing.Find out who wins in this thrilling tale!





	Around the World in 80 Days

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, everyone! 
> 
> I started this as a one shot and realized it deserved more. It will update more frequently than Shipwrecks with any luck, as this plot is far less complicated. Sit back and enjoy some banter, some fluff, some eventual smut, and an adventure like no other!

_ London - October 2nd, 1872 _   
  
The antique clocks scattered about the Hollis home chime the song of 5pm. It echoes through the empty halls and rattles the peeling wallpaper. Laura is pacing the floor of the sitting room, nearly tripping over her dress every two steps or so. Her hair is tied back, but a few strands fall about her face despite the fact that she keeps blowing them away. Her father keeps telling her to slow down, that it’s only been an hour, that the doctor will casually stroll in any moment.    
  
Laura tries to listen, she takes a deep breath in, then exhales through her nose.    
  
“When have we ever known Doctor Karnstein to be on time? Probably coming back from one of her ridiculous adventures,” Sherman Hollis says.    
  
“She was off in India,” Laura comments. “I still expect her to try.”    
  
“Try? Carmilla?” Perry pitches in. “You’re expecting a little much, don’t you think?.”    
  
“Enough with the truth,” Laura says. She’s annoyed, as she usually is when Carmilla is involved. She tolerates Carmilla, because she’s like, well...cake. When she’s good, she’s great. When she’s bad, well, no that isn’t a good comparison, Laura thinks. She shakes the thought away.    
  
“Dinner is getting cold,” LaFontaine says. They have their arm draped around Perry’s shoulders, both of them more fashionable than the couch.    
  
“We’re not eating until everyone is here,” Sherman says. “It’s the polite thing to do.”    
  
As if on cue, there’s a knock at the door. Rhythmic and demanding all at the same time, Laura knows their final guest has arrived just in the sound of it. She heads through the foyer, opening the door to find Carmilla dressed in some kind of new-fashioned casual attire. Typical of her. Black boots come to her knees, while her black pants are tucked inside. A belt made of reptilian skin constricts her curvy waist. A ruffled grey button up is all she wears on her top, despite the chilly weather.   
  
“You’re an hour late,” Laura says, hands on her waist.   
  
“That’s a fine greeting,” Carmilla replies with an amused expression.   
  
“Hello, Carmilla. You’re late, why?”    
  
“It was a nice afternoon, I thought I’d walk. Can I come in now?” Carmilla asks.    
  
“Oh,” Laura gasps, losing her composure. “Of course, dinner is waiting.”    
  
“You could have eaten without me, you know.”    
  
“Father wanted us to wait. Something about politeness, not that you’re ever polite to me.”    
  
“I’m polite to you half the time,” Carmilla replies. “On formal occasions too.”    
  
“Mhm,” Laura hums with a dismissive wave of her hand. She leads Carmilla to the living room, where everyone else awaits.    
  
“Carmilla!” the others say with glee. Partially happy to see her, partially happy they can finally eat.    
  
“Hello,” Carmilla says with a lazy wave.    
  
The nerve of her, Laura thinks, the nerve of her to be so casually disrespectful. Laura lets out a deep breath she didn’t even realize she was holding on to. Her father invites everyone into the dining room to finally eat. He smiles wide as everyone follows him into the small space. The table is just a tad too long, and the empty china cabinet towers over them from the corner.    
  
“Have a seat wherever you’re comfortable,” Sherman says. “Please.”    
  
Sherman squeezes himself into the seat at the head of the table. Laura goes to pull out the chair to his right, but Carmilla stops her. Carmilla pulls the chair out for her and Laura’s cheeks start to flare.    
  
“What are you doing?” Laura blurts out.    
  
“I believe I’m being polite,” Carmilla says. She gestures her open palm at the chair, motioning for Laura to sit.    
  
“Thank you, I suppose,” Laura says with a certain itch in her throat. She sits down and rolls her eyes when Carmilla sits next to her.    
  
“You know, sometimes you’re the impolite one here,” Carmilla says.    
  
“Only giving what I’m getting,” Laura replies.    
  
“Will you two please get along while we eat?” Sherman asks.    
  
“I can behave,” Carmilla says. She gives Laura a look that asks, ‘can you?’    
  
Laura scoffs, the nerve of her. The nerve of her gorgeous eyes that give such weighted glances. She barely even hears the clearing of a throat. Laura pulls her eyes away from Carmilla and over to the couple across from them. Both Perry and LaFontaine are quietly helping themselves to the various dishes in the spread. Turkey, corn, the finest of wines, finger foods to die for. As if there was a party just for the five of them, with no occasion other than to have the ‘family’ together.    
  
“So, Carmilla, you were in India?” Perry asks.    
  
“Yes,” Carmilla replies. “Studying species of cobras and vipers, I tried to bring one home, actually.”    
  
Perry’s eye twitches when she hears this and it’s clear that a shiver runs down her spine. LaFontaine, on the other hand, grins with delight.    
  
“That’s pretty intense, doc,” LaFontaine says. “And you didn’t get bit?”    
  
“I had some close calls, but I know what I’m doing,” Carmilla says with a shrug. She’s talking with food in her mouth and Laura is cursing her for it internally. But then she imagines the thought of Carmilla wrestling with snakes, and something shifts inside her.    
  
“You’re always doing something bold,” Laura admits. “I do envy your travels, though, I think I might be a little kind of afraid of snakes.”    
  
“You’d definitely hate where I’m going next then,” Carmilla teases.    
  
“Where are you going?” LaFontaine asks with a bright-eyed smile.    
  
“Egypt, then around the world and back again.”    
  
“You’ll be gone years!” Laura exclaims.    
  
“I’ll be home in time for Christmas, actually,” Carmilla corrects.   
  
“How in the heck do you figure that?” Sherman asks.    
  
“I have a fool-proof plan. I’m leaving tonight, and I’ll be home oh, around this time December 21st.”    
  
“That’s uh, that’s-” Laura thinks, counting on her fingers.    
  
“Eighty days,” LaFontaine says.    
  
“Indeed,” Carmilla says confidently. “This is a trip just for me, to see all the places I never get to as I’m always so busy on my travels. But, I’ll be right back to work at the start of the year, so I’m putting myself on a time limit.”    
  
“You’ll never make it back in time,” Sherman says.    
  
“Care to make a wager, then?” Carmilla asks.    
  
“What kind of wager?”    
  
“I’ll bet you half my estate that I make it back in time.”    
  
“You can’t expect me to risk half my estate on this,” Sherman says.    
  
“You don’t sound very confident,” Carmilla says.    
  
“Need I remind you that you’re in my household, young lady?” Sherman asks.    
  
“Of course not, I just thought you’d want to make it interesting is all.”    
  
“How about this, twenty thousand pounds, and you better be back here at 5pm on the dot!”    
  
“It can be arranged.”    
  
“You guys aren’t really doing this are you?” Laura asks.    
  
“Honey, relax,” Sherman says. “I’m sure Carmilla will fail.”    
  
“Wait,” Perry says. “How do we know she won’t cheat?”    
  
“That’s a good point,” LaFontaine says. “Why don’t you take Laura with you? You know, since she’s envious of your travels, and she’ll definitely rat you out.”    
  
“That’s not a bad idea, I could use some company, what do you think, sweetheart?”    
  
“Me and you, stuck together, for 80 days. It’ll be a disaster.”    
  
“It’ll be hilarious,” LaFontaine interjects.    
  
“No, it’ll be dangerous, and I don’t very much like the idea of my daughter going off on this adventure,” Sherman says.    
  
“It’ll be fun, and it might help you get that stick out of your-”    
  
Sherman’s hand slams down on the table and Carmilla stops talking. He clears his throat and gives an apologetic look to everyone. Laura just thinks. She thinks of Carmilla’s audacity. To just stroll in late, to be casually disrespectful, to be a good friend when you really need her. A free trip around the world, Laura thinks. A free trip to nowhere and everywhere all at once. Maybe she could just ignore Carmilla for the whole thing. At the worst, maybe they’d be a bit more like friends as they were in college.    
  
“You know what?” Laura says. “I’ll do it.”


End file.
